Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Pours a great reddish hue with some solid light brown/tannish head the nearly pours over with foam.Smell is acrid, the good kind of acrid with a vinegar hint.Flavor is complex. Slight sourness followed by some kind of smooth fruit/acidic taste, maybe I'm getting cherries, maybe pomegranite.Finish is long, the oak maturation gives it such a greatly smooth and long aftertaste of sour and fruit.Drinks great, it's tough to find sours that are drinkable and this is definately.

Beautiful burgundy appearance. Deep dark red, fairly clear. Smells like a fantastic sour beer mixed with red wine. I really liked the aroma except there was a faint hint of metal. The tast up front is fantastic. Great sour bite that quickly fades into an almost soda-like sweetness. The finish of the beer is very sweet, more like wine than beer. The mouthfeel is soft. Subtle carbonation. The beer is very well-crafted but the drinkability is negatively affected by the sweetness in the finish.

Pours a very deep red with a ton of tan head. The head dissapears quickly, but leaves a hefty amount of thick lacing along the top of the glass. The aroma reminds me very much of malt venegar and is incredibly acrid. The taste is slightly sour, acidic, and subdued. It reminds me more of cherries than anything else. Extraordinarily smooth, this is an amazing beer. I will definitely buy this many more times.

Appearance- Pours a shade of darker brown with a very minimal head that dies almost immediately to a ring around the edges. Very mild carbonation as per the style, with just a touch of lacing as I drink.

Smell- Nose is primarily of overripe, decaying apples with just a touch of tart vinegar. An interesting combination of sweet and sour.

Taste- Again, an interesting taste of overripe apples layered over balsamic vinegar. Some minerals with a touch of iron as well. However, I oddly find this one to be overwhelmingly sweet, with tartness to be almost nonexistent when compared to some of my other favorite Flemish reds. Taste would be much more interesting and complex to me were it not for the distracting sweetness.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Mouthfeel is spot on with minimal carbonation but not overly thin on the body. Drinkability however is really killed by the sweetness here. I usually rely on an appetizing tartness in these to keep me drinking but it is lost for me in the Duchesse.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this one. I had heart a lot of great things about the Duchesse but for me it really pales in comparison to Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru. Not a bad beer, just too sweet for me and lacking in that tartness that I love so much in this style.

I had this on tap and thought it was brilliant!! After having this beer I became aware of how biased I was toward American craft beers. This beer pours a beautiful deep chestnut with limited head. The nose has sun dried fruit with a flavor that has a nice maltyness with raisin. mmmm!

Beer served on draft at a beer bar in FL. Beer served in a Duchess De Bourgogne wine glass. Beer is hazy brown and has a broken brown head with very little carbonation. The tiny head manages to leave some lacing on the glass.

Aroma is citric and lactic sour in nature. Not too much complexity but for this style its dead on. Time to drink.

Beer is sweet and sour, the sweetness comes first but its quickly overtaken by the sour nature of the beer. Beer is smooth and has a thin body. The drinkability is high and the midpalate is where the majority of the flavor is noticed. Its a good example of a sour beer.

My second time trying this beer, I think the first time I was so shocked by it i wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Anyway, found some bottles in HUll Quebec.

Poured a dark ruby/mahogany red with a nice thick foam that steams up from the beer.

Smell: Sweet balsamic vinegar, green apple. So interesting. Taste: Smooth malty sweetness hits your tongue and then melds into a vinegar-like tartness which seems to develope into a sour apple/green apple like finish. The tartness is wonderfull. Refressing, but not overpowering.

I agree with others, this is one complex beer that in my opinion, really has to be tried on its own. You need to start the night with this, and really forget your preconceived notions of what a beer is. This is a unique and wonderfull drink.

Pours a lovely deep dark ruby brown color with pillowy off white head. Smell is of balsamic vinegar, tart cherry with hints of pear. Taste is a quick burst of tart cherry and apple cider vinegar / balsamic vinegar quickly backing off into a nice blend of semi-sweet fruit with a very earthy grain profile. Body medium... prickly at first, mellowing out quickly. Very good taste without overpowering. Would be a very good introduction into the world of sour beer for the novice.

Pours a lightly hazy dark reddish amber color with a 1 finger tan head that lasts for about a minute before subsiding to a small ring, leaving small bits of lacing.

The smell upfront showcases a burst of sour cherries amidst a woody background. There is a vinegar like smell at the end, but the aroma mostly comes off a little more sweet than sour.

Now the taste mixes things up a little. There is absolutely a strong taste of vinegar upfront. Towards the middle, the cherries come back into the picture, and there is still a faint woody taste in the background. Raspberries are also present, making this one quite fruity at times, but also a little acidic. The finish is again a little more sweet than sour and that sweetness is needed to balance out the vinegar. I'd think that vinegar taste could be done away with but I'll still give this a good mark for being satisfying overall.

Medium bodied, maybe a little thin, medium carbonation. Duchesse looks good, smells fairly good, and the taste is good, but a little weird. That sharp acid upfront is just strange, but it balances out by the middle and into the finish. The sweetness of the fruit helps bring it all together. I could rate this one much higher if not for that vinegar touch, but it is still enjoyable for the most part. Good to try no doubt, but I won't be stocking up on these.

Pours a dark, clear reddish brown, with a ring of head. It smells quite tart, with notes of sour cherry and vinegar. You'll find a deep, sweet taste that carries along a complex mix of spices, yeast, and cider vinegar. It feels quite delicate and fizzy, which a wonderful match to its other characteristics.

This is one of my favorite beers for late fall, and through the winter. Guests are delighted to try it, and it pairs well with seasonal ingredients. A prize example of a Flemish red ale.

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Deep dark brown, slight ruby tint, with a resilient beige head that continues to seep up.

Heavy apple cider and vinegar smell at first sniff. Raspberry and cherry aromas also come through, along with a little lactic character.

Flavor is not nearly as sour or tart as the smell would suggest. Plenty of fruit flavors here with cherry, raspberry tartness and rhubarb. I would also describe it as leafy, minerally and slightly sweet with a long dry, woody finish.

Light, effervescent, but not thin mouthfeel.

Highly drinkable. I would prefer just a little more sourness with maybe a little less sweetness, but this is obviously a superb and easily accessible example of the style.

This is my first beer of this style so that should probably be kept in mind when reading my review.

A-Pours a beautiful cherry/brown with an excellent off white billowy head.

S-Tart and sour, cherries and apples jump out at me, and just a hint of citrus. Its pretty complex and strong.

T-I would be lying if I didn't admit the first sip took my breath away. At first I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but it was definitely a positive. It tastes like a strong carbonated water with sour cherries and apples. Vinegar comes in for the finish but is accompanied by some sweetness.

M-Carbonated but in a good way because it helps make it exceptionally refreshing.

D-I don't know if I could drink more than one of these in a sitting because it is unlike any beer I have ever had. But I definitely enjoyed the experience and will try other beers of the style.

Overall, I enjoy this beer and would drink it or other examples of the style. It is very interesting and refreshing.

11-ish bottle to glass. Gentle pour leads to huge head, color is dark brown/red. Smell is somewhat sweet and a little vinegar. Taste is somewhat like soda pop in carbonation and sweetness, with decent sourness. Not as sweet as Monk's Cafe, a good thing. More interesting than drinkable for me.

I was suspiciou at first of this beer. I am not generally a fan of Sours, but this one won me over. Very smooth and crisp. Has a nice sour taste and a full body but without the tartness of many sours. This is a beer that will not pucker your mouth with its tartness. it has a surprisingly sweet finish to it and is imminently drinkable. Even more the aroma is not overwhelming like many other sours.

~ Purchased this bottle from Big Z Beverage in Huntington, NY. This sour ale pours a dark reddish brown with a huge foamy head that subsides rather quickly into some spotty lacing. The smell reminds me a lot of balsamic vinegar. There is a really nice sour and earthy smell going on here. The taste is a wonderful complex combination of sweet and sour. Absolutely refreshing! A little pricey @ $4.95 for a single 11.2 oz bottle, but hey, you get what you pay for right?

All in all, if you are looking for a beer that is unique and different--you've come to the right place! ~

Poured from a 75cL bottle into two tulip glasses. One for me and one for my wife. The cork is labeled exp. 05/11.

It pours a brilliant deep red color with a two finger foamy dense head

Smells of acidity, sour fruit and vinegar notes. The nose is very inviting and promising for a tasty sour beer inside.

The taste is an explosion of colliding flavors. Starts a little tart with a lot of red fruit flavors. the middle is medium bard-yard brett and it finishes with the acidic vinegar and a surprising sweetness.

Mouthfeel is exceptional, a little tart but smooth and perfect carbonation level. Four a sour the drinkability is amazing. I'm drinking this faster than I wold have thought and it really goes down smoothly.

I haven't had many example of this style but I really am enjoying the trip. It wasn't as tart and sour as I had expected and the sweet finish was unexpected. I am unsure of the bottling date but i think I might pick up another bottle and let it age until closer to the expiration date to see how the tartness develops.

A: pours dark red, with a thin white head with small amount of lacingS: sour, kind of musty, with fruit hidden in the background. T: sour on first sip. a honey like sweetness, with mild bitterness. a malty and nutty aftertaste. M: kind of like watered down fizzy syrup, medium carbonationD: very drinkable, find myself wanting another even though i have yet to finish the one in front of me

Appearance: Pours a beautiful dark red and brown color with a finger and a half of thin bubbly head. The head is here to stay, with it never quite disappearing. There is still sitting a thin layer of creamy brown sitting on top. The amount of lacing is also quite impressive, with small and medium sized spots scattered across my glass along with a few lines trickling their way down.

Smell: The nose is sour and acidic. The acidity is vinegar like; the sourness is fruit-like, like cherries, raspberries. The smell is really pleasant, I just wish it had a little more punch to it. It's more mellow than I had wanted.

Taste: The palate follows suite with the nose. A sour and acidic wave crosses the palate, with notes of vinegar, plum and cherries. It's enough tartness to almost make me pucker on each sip, but it's not quite there.

Mouthfeel: A medium bodied beer, a bit on the thin side. A nice pleasant level of carbonation right after the pour makes it really easy to sip on.

Drinkability: This is a fantastic beer. A very flavorful and balanced flanders ale. The sourness is there, the acidity is there and the fruit is there. This will end up in my crate again without a doubt.

Had at Poechenellekelder in Brussels. Dense head that released a cloud of tart fruit with slight tones of honey, but you can tell from the first whiff that this is going to be sour. Dense, dark color and very light carbonation. Taste is lightly vinegary, somewhat sweet and pleasantly tart. Not overly sour, but just enough to make you stop and drink slowly. Gains complexity when it warms up, so sip!

Drinkability: Surprisingly I would have this again, the nose really hides the sweet undertone in the taste, I would have this again and recommend this to those who want to try a sour but aren't prepared for a full blown sour ale. Opens with fruit and finishes rather tart and sour but not overwhelming.

A - Dark burgundy w/ small beaded pale tan head. The color has some ruby accents

S - Smells like a mix of sweet and sour w/ worcestershire some wood and spice w/ a sweet cherry and light currant. There is a subtle raspberry note w/ mild dark sugar aroma

M - The feel is slightly candy-like at first w/ a subtle sour and mild fruit texture, slight berry w/ vinous elements and moderate carbonation. The beer finishes on the dry side.

T - The taste of dark and sweet cherry w/ hints of sour berry notes and light brown sugar like a dessert beer quality. The taste has mild lemon rind acidic flavor w/ mild vinous dark grapeskin notes and wild berry w/ mild spice and earthy hints. The taste is complex to say the least with even a tinge of leather and oak.

D - This is a fantastic flanders w/ subtle smooth sour blended with the fruit and sweet notes. The Duchesse stands alone as I have not had a beer quite like her, very drinkable sweet/sour blend and I find this an easy ale to drink but prefer to save it for occasions.